Today, many surgical procedures are performed through small incisions in the skin, as compared to the larger incisions typically required in traditional procedures, in an effort to reduce both trauma to the patient and recovery time. Generally, such procedures are referred to as endoscopic, unless performed on the patient's abdomen, in which case the procedure is referred to as laparoscopic. Throughout the present disclosure, the term “minimally invasive” should be understood to encompass both endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures.
During a typical minimally invasive procedure, surgical objects, such as surgical access devices, e.g., trocar and cannula assemblies, or endoscopes, are inserted into the patient's body through the incision in tissue. In general, prior to the introduction of the surgical object into the patient's body, insufflation gasses are used to enlarge the area surrounding the target surgical site to create a larger, more accessible work area. Accordingly, the maintenance of a substantially fluid-tight seal is desirable so as to minimize or inhibit the escape of the insufflation gases and the deflation or collapse of the enlarged surgical site.
To this end, various valves and seals are used during the course of minimally invasive procedures. However, a continuing need exists for a seal anchor member that can be inserted directly into the incision in tissue and that can accommodate a variety of surgical objects while maintaining the integrity of an insufflated workspace.